Custom Quilts of Joy

Turning Quilt Tops into Treasures

Recent Posts

  • Barn Swallows

    I just had to share these pics of our new residents under the eaves of our porch.  Mama and Papa Barn Swallow moved in a few weeks ago and made a lovely home in the corner of the porch.  They don’t have indoor plumbing, so the porch floor has to be swept and washed frequently.  It was interesting to watch them tend their nest of eggs.  They would fly away during the day when we’d walk by, but at night they would just watch us carefully.  Pretty soon, the eggs hatched and we had 4 babies (I thought).  All babies are cute and they were no exception.  Soon, you could see Mama and Papa bringing food to their younguns.  The first two pictures below are of the babies in their nest and being fed on a Tuesday (the day my longarm arrived).  The next picture is of them just 5 days later.  My how they grew!!!  And it turns out there were 5 babies.  The fifth one was always hidden behind the other 4.  It won’t be long before they’re all gone, and we’ll take the nest down and clean off the porch for the last time.  In the meantime, I greet them every morning and evening.

  • 1st quilt on new frame

    Here’s a sneak peak at what is on my new A1  Quilting Machine and frame.  This is an Aunt Grace’s Garden Party quilt and I really love how Audrey pieced this quilt.  I am trying out a new thread on this quilt.  I picked up some Wonderful Invisifil thread at the Paducah show.  This thread is 100 weight (pretty thin) and I wanted to use it on this one because I didn’t want the thread to compete with the lovely piecing of this quilt.  Plus whatever I quilted wouldn’t show up on the busy print so I wanted something that just gave a texture to the quilt.  On the back I’m using Superior Bottom Line in white.  This has a red border and I’m using So Fine red on the border with the white in the bobbin.  I have a few pokies of red on the back, but I think most of them will disappear when I take it off the frame. 

    I love my new A1 quilting machine.  I can actually quilt straight lines without having to use a ruler!!  And the new saddle chair is wonderful!!!  I wish I had been able to get one of these before.  I can quilt longer now since I can take a break and quilt while sitting down.  I cannot emphasize how much of a difference this chair makes!!!

    Here are a couple of pics – one of the new quilt on the frame and the other with a practice piece of fabric on it to test out the new machine and frame.  Oh, and my red snappers just came in the mail and I’ll be installing them this weekend.  I really loved having them on the old machine.

  • New home for my old machine

    it’s official! My Voyager has a new home with LaVerne in southern Illinois. What a neat place she has. Below are some pics of the new place my trusty machine will call home.  I won’t be without a quilting machine long — my new A1 machine arrives tomorrow!

    I loved LaVerne’s farm. It was filled with all kinds of animals. A few of the birds are here in this pic. They came running to us looking for their food!!
    The new studio is in an upstairs bedroom. Lots of light comes in through the windows and I think it will make a great studio for LaVerne.
    I actually got the llama to nibble a few bits of corn out of my hand. My dad used to have a llama in the pasture between our houses and I loved that LaVerne has one.
    The donkeys and goats all had to come in the barn to see what we were doing. We had quite the audience. And yes, that pot-bellied pig is as round as he is long!!

  • Last Quilt on my Voyager

    This is the last quilt I’ll do on my Voyager before it gets taken down and delivered to Laverne in Southern Illinois.  This quilt is for a new customer, Mary.  She does fantastic work.  I’m doing a freehand feather vine in the outer border and a panto (feather meander) on the rest.  I like how it’s turning out.  Here’s a sneak peek..

  • MQS – Teachers Choice Ribbon!!

    Okay.  I can’t hold back!  I just found out I got a teachers choice ribbon for my quilt Winter Garden at the MQS show in Overland Park this week.  I belong to some Yahoo groups and on one of them I had asked if anyone was going to the show to take some pics of my quilt hanging there.  One of the members, Tim, said he would snap some pics for me.  He just posted a message on that forum and I won a Teacher’s Choice Ribbon!!  Ok, seriously, can you hear me squealing with joy!!??   Hahahaha.   To top it off, he got the news directly from Karen.  Here’s his note on the exchange with Karen:

    “Joy, I found your enntry # 325 hanging in the whole cloth section. I was on my way into the building and stopped to chat with Karen McTavish for a few moments. I explained your request for a few photos of your quilt hanging in the show. Her response: “That is really creepy!”  She pulled out a pack of smokes with your quilt # written on it. She gave you a teachers choice award!  Congrats! I’ll upload the photos when I get back to Tennessee.”

    Ok.  Seriously.  How AWESOME is that!!!!   🙂   I’ll post a pic of the ribbon when I get it in the mail.

    What’s up next on the frame?  Only practice muslin.  I have a gal coming to my house Sunday to look at my Voyager and frame.  If she buys it, then I’ll be taking it down and installing it at her house.  I’m not sure how long it will take to get my A1 delivered after that, but will keep you posted on that news.  Wish me luck on the sale!!!

  • Curvemaster Foot

    While in Paducah, I purchased a new presser foot for my Babylock sewing machine.  The gal demonstrating this foot had me hooked literally in seconds.  She sewed a drunkard’s path block with no pins whatsoever!  Yes, I said “no pins!”  After watching her do this feat twice, I bought one on the spot.  I had already purchased a template for a drunkards path earlier in the day – I’m planning on using it on a red/white quilt.

    So, the real test came when I tried it for myself.  I had a couple of false starts, and had to reread the directions on their site, but I actually finished two of these in seconds!!  Below are pics of the template I purchased, the curvemaster foot, and the finished blocks.  You can go to http://www.curvemaster.biz for  more info.  The foot comes with attachments that will fit most machines.

  • Poppies Squared

    I love this little quilt by my friend Cheryl. Bright batiks and a geometric layout make this a wonderful modern quilt.  I decided to quilt the outside border with beadboard, the orange border has a line of funky flowers as do the inner poppy squares.  The blocks surrounding the poppy squares were quilted randomly with an array of pumpkin seeds, wavy lines, curvy lines, flower strings, watery lines, swirls and circles.  The end result is a pretty, modern look to this bright, graphic quilt.

    Batting used was Legacy 80/20 blend.  Threads were turquoise Signature, #469 So Fine (burnt orange) and gray Sulky.

  • Selling my Voyager

    UPDATE:  I sold my Voyager today.  Laverne from southern Illinois is the lucky gal who gets my trusty machine.  Right now, the plan is to deliver it to her house on June 9.  I’ll be sending in the check on my new machine and hopefully can get it delivered soon afterwards.  Thanks to everyone who showed interest.  Laverne – you’re the early bird on this one!!  🙂

    ——–

    Yes, that’s right, I’m selling my Voyager.  While I was at Paducah (looking at my quilt hanging there!), I finally had an opportunity to test drive the last machine on my list – the A1 Longarm.  I absolutely fell in love with it.  When Elaine, the rep at the booth, told me the price, my jaw about hit the floor.  I walked away, but came back a few hours later and gave her a deposit to hold it for a few months.  In the meantime, I really do need to sell my Voyager.  It has been a great machine and will make a good machine for someone else.  So here’s the deal:

    Voyager 17, LOADED – $3500, including delivery/setup within 100 miles (negotiable).  Details are listed below the pic:

    Hinterberg Stretch Frame
    Included in original pkg.
     Add-ons
      Bowers Lifts (I love these – they make advancing fabric much easier)   $65
      Stylus board that has the grooved patterns for hearts, wavy lines, etc. x  
      Pantos, rose/leaf and an overall   pattern (can’t remember the name). x  
      Laser light for stylus at rear. x  
      Two sets of zippers.  One set is attached to the leaders. (the 2nd one makes it easier to switch out a quilt on the frame before it is finished).   $80
      Set of 10’ poles with leaders   attached (value $150)   $150
      Set of 6’ poles with leaders   attached and extra roller ends attached to make changing them seamless   $200
      Center leg support x  
      Dowel rods (for supporting the side tensioners away from the carriage)   $0
           
    Voyager 17, includes:    
      Fat foot    $50
      Regular foot x  
      TBQ hopping ruler foot   $100
      Finishing Touches hopping ruler   foot (also have extra parts for repairs if needed)   $65
      100 bobbins   $40
      Needles (new in packages, size 16, 18, 19)   $40
      Bobbin cases – I think I have 4 or 5,  some have pigtails, some with pigtails and backlash, some with   just backlash, and some plain.   $100
      Toolkit for everything (frame and machine) included x  
      Extra needle plate covers (2)   $20
      Extra tension spring assembly (for parts) and replacement o-rings for carriage   $0
      Laser Light that attaches to front handles (do pantos or trace outlines from front)   $50
      Micro Handles (from Finishing   Touches Studio), includes allen wrench for removing   $100
      Side grips (4 total) x  
      Additional LCD light attached to   head (in addition to the regular lamp that is included).   $25
      Power Strip attached to SLR by   Velcro (for management of wiring)   $25
      Extended large base (for doing   ruler work) (value $55)   $55
      Extra handles with controls for   doing pantos from rear (don’t have to switch the handles out)   $200
      Hinterberg/Voyager manual, also   has extra docs printed from website x  
      DVD for Voyager maintenance x  
           
    Bobbin Winder (included) x  
    Towa Gauge for L-size bobbin cases   $70
           
    Thread:    
      I have some King Tut and various   brands of thread that I’ll include.   $50
           
    Batting:    
      I’ll throw in some leftover pieces for testing purposes    $0
           
    Delivery/Setup    
       I’ll deliver and setup at your home (within   100+- miles)   $250
      Will include Linda Taylor’s book   “Ultimate Guide to Longarm Quilting”   $30
           
        $4,299 $1,700
           
    Value of original package and add-ons $6,064
           
    Total cost   $3,500
      Contact:  Joy Voltenburg, Sullivan, IL  (217) 273-5536    

  • Paducah here I come!

    I’m traveling by bus with a group of quilters to Paducah this Saturday.  I cannot wait.  I have never been to the quilt show in Paducah and am looking forward to it SO MUCH!!!   To top it off, I have a quilt hanging in the show there!  I’m so excited to see it hanging there amongst the jaw-dropping quilts I have seen that are going to be there.  Another quilter in my area, Thelma, has two quilts hanging there. I remember her quilt from Judi Madsen’s blog.  I drooled all over that quilt online and I’m thrilled to be able to see it in person.  If you’re going to Paducah, look for my quilt, Sunflower Stars #932.

    Image

  • Catching up

    I haven’t posted in a while, for no other reason than I have been avoiding the computer.  So, let’s play catch up. 

    The latest quilt hot off the frame is for Donna.  This is a quilt she’ll be teaching a class on in a few weeks.  I loved the fabrics.  I was kind of torn about how to quilt this one; but decided to quilt the “blank” blocks in between the pinwheels the same as I did the pinwheels. I was stumped on how to do these with as few starts and stops as possible, but was able to do each row in one pass.  I do like how this came out.  The quilting design wasn’t going to show much because of the business of the fabrics, but it does give it nice movement.

    The next quilt is a totally awesome lavender crosshatch quilt.  What makes it even more awesome is that it was done by an 81-year-old woman!  This was a stamped quilt where the x-hatching and the quilting design was stamped into the cloth.  The blue markings will fade over several washings.  I followed the stamped design pretty much, except I did double lines instead of single and I echoed all of the crosshatching around the border where the design didn’t have any quilting at all and also in the center medallion where the design stamped a series of concentric circles.  I love how this turned out.  I also bound it for her.

    And finally, a gorgeous Moda BOM with embroidery for Audrey.  I decided to do diagonal crosshatch over all the embroidery blocks as well as behind the center tree block.  The stars all were treated the same, with a leaf design in each corner.